Hydraulic engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheefis-Sheet 1.

A. J. COLLAR. HYDRAULIC ENGINE.

No. 560,394. Patented May 19, 1896.

aw Aw 2 SheetsSheet 2.

A. J. COLLAR. HYDRAULIC ENGINE.

{No Model.)

Patented May 19, 1896.

ANDREW B.GRAHAM.PHOTWUTHDWASNINGTUMDYC.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEErc ADONIRAM J. COLLAR, OF YREKA, CALIFORNIA.

HYDRAULIC ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 560,394, dated May 19, 1896. Application filed September 6, 1895. ri l N 6L (N0 -l To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, ADONIRAM J. COLLAR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Yreka, county of Siskiyou, State of California, have invented an Improvement in l-Iydraulic Engines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, of thesame.

My invention relates to a hydraulic-engine which is adapted to be actuated by liquid under pressure.

It consists in certain details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my cylinders in sections. Fig. 2 is an outside View showing their relative positions. Fig. 3 is a section through one of the cylinders, the pis-' ton being shown in half-section. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of the sliding blocks on line y y of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 6 is a top view of the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus in which a liquid under pressure is admitted successively to connected cylinders and a mechanism whereby the pressure of the liquid acts at the proper time upon pistons reciprocating within said cylinders, the piston-rods being connected with cranks upon the shaft, so as to convert the alternate reciprocating motions of the pistons into a continuous rotary motion of the crankshaft.

In the present construction of my apparatus I have shown four cylinders A B O D, situated in pairs, one above the other, each cylinder having a piston E reciprocating within it; but the relative arrangement and position of the cylinders may be changed without essentially changing .the construction and operation. Piston-rods F extend from these pistons through the cylinder-heads and are connected with slides G, which travel in suitable guides H. These slides have transverse slots in them which form guides for blocks I, within which turn the. crankpins J, projecting, as shown in the present case, from crank-disks J which are fixed upon the main driving-shaft K. Upon this shaftmay be fixed'pulleys, gears, or other means for communicating power, and the movement of the pistons is transmitted through these connections to transmit power. The cylinders are made with the central portion of smaller diameter than the ends. Within the cylinders sleeves or linings L are fitted in the smaller central portion and extend to the ends of the cylinder.- These lining-sleeves have slots or channels M made in that portion which lies within the ends of the cylinders, so that water which enters these ends may pass through the slots or channels into the interior of the lining-cylinders from one end and out through the opposite end.

The pistons E are provided with packingrings N, which fit within the lining-sleeve L and form close joints when the pistons are moving in the unperforated central portion of the linings. The pistons have cages projecting from them, as shown at 0, these cages being closed at one end, and within these cages valves P are adapted to reciprocate. The pistons themselves are hollow and have seats formed in them, as shown at Q, against which the valvesfit when closed upon the pistons, thus temporarily making a solid piston. When the valves are moved in the other direction, they fit in the closed heads 0 of the cages and leave openingsbetween the longitudinal arms of the cages, through which water may pass freely into and through the linings and pistons. The valves have single stems R, projecting from one end through the ends of the cages, and parallel double guiderods R, projecting from the opposite ends, on each side of the piston-rods. The uppermost cylinder upon one side is connected by a pipe S with the source of supply, so that water under pressure is admitted through this pipc into one end of the cylinder surrounding the lining L, and it is admitted through the slots M into the interior of the lining. Whenever the piston is at that end of the cylinder, with its valve open, water flowing into the lining can also pass through the side bars of the cage and through the open central portion of the piston, flowing to the opposite end of the cylinder. At this point it can pass out through the corresponding slots M into the enlarged chamber at that end of the cylinder and will pass through a connecting-passage S to the IOO lining. of this central portion the water is at liberty cylinder below, which is constructed similarly to that above with the exception that the arrangement of the valve with relation to the piston is reversed, and if this piston is at the end of the cylinder through which water enters it may in the same manner pass through the piston to the opposite end. From the opposite end of this lower cylinder a pipe S extends diagonally to the front end of the other upper cylinder, so as to deliver water into it in the same manner as water is delivered into the cylinder B, and in like manner the opposite end of this upper and lowercylinder O and D a is connected by a pipe similar to the pipe S. A discharge pipe or passage S connects with. the opposite end of the final cylinder.

so that whenone crank is on a dead-center} the other will be in position to exercise its greatest power. 7

The "central unslotted portion of the cylin-l ders and the linings in which the piston fits; and in which the water-pressure can act upon i the pistons when their valves are'closed is ap- 1 proximately equal in length to one side of a square inscribed within the circle "described by the cranks, less the width of the packing rings, so that the pistons are exterior to this closed portion while the cranks are making one-quarter of a revolution, half of whichj quarter is upon each side of thedead-center. 1

As soon as thecrank'has moved one-eighth of l a revolution from the dead-center the piston will have entered the central unslotted por tion of the lining, and the'valve 'being closed the waterexercises'a pressure upon the piston while it'is passing through'this portion of the Assoon as the piston *has passed out to escape through the sides of the cage behind the valve and through the slots M in the lining into the opposite enlarged end of the cylinder.

The operation will *be as follows: WV'hen the upper piston moves toward the rear'end of its cylinder, the valve P lying within the closed end of the cage and the guide-rod R projecting through this'end, the end of this rod will strike the end of the cylinder or a stop fixed forthat purpose, an dthe valve will. then be forced by the further movement of the piston against the seat (2 of the piston,

thus'closingthe centralopening'of the piston and preparing it to receive the pressure of water. Asthepositions of the pistons in the various cylinders'are such that some onepiston will be receiving thepressure of waterthis upper piston, just described, will commence its return stroke, thewater meantime fiowin g through thebars ofthe cagein front of the pistonuntil the piston itself is within'the unslotted'central portion of the lining L, when iti'mmediatelycuts off this water flow, and as the valve P'isclosed against the seatin the piston the pressure of the water acts upon this piston to carry it through the unslotted central The l crank-pins are fixed with relation to each? other-and the shaft to stand at right angles,

portion of the lining. This stroke occupies a distance equal to one side of the square previously described as being formed within the circle described by the crank, and the power is thus applied to the crank during the most effective portion of its revolution. As soon as the piston passes out at the opposite end of the closed central lining the water which has followed itto this point escapes through the open sides of the rear portion of the cage and thence through the slots M in the lining into the surrounding enlarged chamber of the cylinder, from which it passes through the passage S into the cylinder be low. As the piston in this cylinder is moving parallel with and simultaneously with the piston just described in the upper cylinder it is not receiving pressure up to this time. This pistonstan'ds in areversed position from that in the upper cylinder, and its valve bei in g open during this portion of the movement the water which passes through S flows into and through the lower cylinder and thence into the upper cylinder upon the opposite side, 'the piston of which at this time has reached the point Where the pressure will act upon it in the same manner as just 'described for the first upper piston. This continues the movement of the first-described upperand lower pistons, and theguide-rods R of the upper piston-valve, extending through the end of the cage from the valverod, will come in contact with the cylinderhead upon each side of the piston-rod, thus stopping the valve, while the piston'continues its movement untilthe valve has been forced into the end of the cage which it occupied at the beginning of this description. Springarms P are fixed upon each side of the cage and press against the valve, so as to prevent its being moved from this position without the actual pressureapplied by the rod R, and the valve is in like manner held upon its seat in the piston "by similar springs, from which it is disengaged'when the rods R strike the opposite end of the cylinder. The return of the valve Pinto the head of the cage Oleaves the central portion of the piston open, and as the sides of the cage are also open water-can fiow freely through the piston while the latter returns to the commencement of its stroke. The same movement of the lower piston toward the front end of the cylinder simultaneously with the movement which opens the valve P of the upper cylinder acts toclose the corresponding valve againstthe lower piston, and as theset-wo pistons commence their return movement the water passes freely through the upper piston, andas soon as the lower piston enters the central unperforated portion of its cylinder and sleeve the pressure of the water commences to act upon it and thus forces it back, continuing the rotation of the crank upon the opposite side of the square previously referred to. The second upper piston, which was acting until thefirst 7 upper and lower pistons had reached the front end of the stroke, will now have reached the end of its cylinder, and its valve will have been opened so as to allow this piston to return to the opposite end of its stroke, and the lower piston upon that side will have its valve closed, so that as soon as the lower piston on the first-described side has completed its active stroke the second lower piston will be closed in readiness to receive the pressure of the water, which will be flowing through the second upper piston and through the connecting-passage into the second lower cylinder. It will thus be seen that the two upper pistons are acted upon from the rear toward the front end, thus applying the power to r0- tate their respective cranks the first part-of their revolution, and the two lower pistons act in the opposite direction, or when they are moving toward the rear ends of the cylinders, and as these cylinders act intermediately and alternately it will be seen that one or the other of the pistons is constantly at work, so that the power is applied continuously during the entire rotation of the crank and shaft through either one or the other of the pistons.

In order to reduce the friction of the transversely-moving slide I, which is connected with the crank-pin, I have shown channels made around its periphery, and within these channels are loosely fitted balls I. There are two of these channels extending parallel and diagonally from one side to the other of the sliding block I and so disposed that the pressure is constantly, central upon the balls, while the balls are free to travel continuously around within the chambers,,so as not to be forced against each other and produce undue friction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hydraulic engine consisting of cylinders arranged in pairs, one of each pair receiving water under pressure at one end and delivering it into its mate at the opposite end, a diagonal pipe by which water is delivered from the second cylinder of the first pair to the first cylinder of the second pair, a connection between the opposite ends of the second pair, open pistons reciprocating within said cylinders connecting with cranks upon a common crank-shaft and valves closing the pistons so that the pressure of the water is alternately applied to the various pistons.

2. A hydraulic engine consisting of the combination of two pairs of cylinders, one cylinder of each pair receiving water under pressure at one end and delivering it into its mate at the opposite end, a connection whereby water is delivered from the second cylinder of one pair to the first cylinder of the other pair, open pistons reciprocating in the cylinders, slides reciprocating in guides and connected with the piston-rods so that each pair of pistons move in unison, transverse slots made in said slides, and other slides connected with the crank-pins movable in said transverse slots whereby power applied to either piston of a pair acts through the common connecting-slide upon the single crank-pin.

- 3. A hydraulic engine consisting of parallel cylinders arranged in pairs with pistons reciprocating therein, piston-rods connecting the pistons of each pair with a slide movable in guides parallel with the line of travel of the piston-rod, transverse slides movable in channels across the main slides and connected with a common crank-pin whereby the power applied to either piston of a pair is transmitted to the single crank-pin, mechanism connected with the pistons whereby pressure of water is applied to move one piston of a pair in one direction and the other piston in the opposite direction.

4. A hydraulic engine consisting of parallel cylinders arranged in pairs with pistons reciprocating therein, piston-rods by which each pair of pistons is connected with a common slide and crank-pin, cylindrical linings extending from end to end of the cylinders, within which linings the pistons are fitted with packing-rings, chambers formed at the ends of the cylinder of larger diameter than the central portion of the linings, with slots or channels through which water can pass into and out of the linings, valves movable so as to leave central openings through the pistons when the latter are moving against the flow of water and closable against the pistons so that the pressure of the water may be applied thereto when the pistons move within the unperforated portions of the cylinders.

5. In a hydraulic engine, cylinders having a central portion with a lining adapted to fit therein, enlarged end sections through which the lining extends with slots or channels whereby communication is had from the interior to the exterior of the lining within these enlarged ends, a supply-pipe through which water is admitted to one end of the cylinder exterior to the lining, and a pipe by which it is discharged from the opposite end of the cylinder, a cage connected with the piston a valve movable within the cage so as to close against the central open portion of the piston when the latter is moving in the direction of the water flow, and be moved into the head of the cage so as to leave free passage through the piston when the latter is moving in the opposite direction.

6. In a hydraulic engine, the combination, of a plurality of cylinders arranged in pairs, one cylinder of each pair receiving water under pressure at one end and delivering it into its mate at the opposite end, a connection whereby water is delivered from the second cylinder of one pair to the first cylinder of the other pair, a connection between the op- IIO posite ends of the second pair, pistons and devices transmitting power to a common r0- tary shaft, and mechanism whereby the flow of the current is interrupted within the Various cylinders in such order that its force will be applied to move the various pistons and transmit their power successively tothc shaft.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ADONIRAM J. COLLAR.

Vitnesses:

S. 11. NOURSE, JESSIE C. Bnonrn. 

